Chargers select S Derwin James with No. 17 overall pick

The Chargers upgraded the secondary with the selection of former Florida State safety Derwin James with the No. 17 overall selection.

At 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds, James is a versatile safety who has experience lining up all over the field, including covering wide receivers out of the slot. He is tremendous in coverage as he has the speed to keep up with WRs and the size to match up with tight ends. The former Seminole is known for his physicality as he is known to lay big hits on ball carriers.

James is the type of player that defensive coordinator Gus Bradley covets, who will be used in the same mold as Seahawks Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas when he was the DC there in Seattle. It’s high praise to mention James with two of the best safeties in the NFL, but he is a unique player that fills in as the chess piece in the secondary.